Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-11-03

we'll up another gulch and away from
| the dusty trail.
That night he slept on pine boughs.
warmed by a roaring fire of more pine
boughs. and lulled into slumber by the
steady, mournful signing of the night
| wind through still other pine boughs
far above his head. The loss of his
supper was not much felt; the failure
of breakfast to make its appearance
| was more noticeable, but he rose early
and went on
At three o'clock that afternoon-the
! absence of dinner had been very
marked-he was surprised by coming
suddenly upon a little rude. tumble
down log house, with an old horse
| standing near. After some cautious
observations he walked up to the door
! and entered.
An old man was lying on some
blankets in one corner. There were a
| frying-pan, one or two tin cans, an old
tarpaulin, rusty gun, and few other
miscellaneous things, all of which Mr..
Bragg mentally classed under the com
prehensive head of truck" scattered
about. The old man was thin and gray
and appeared i'll. Horseshoe rested
his hands on his hips and looked down
ut him moment. Then he said:
well, partner. are you sick?"
"Oh, no." replied the old man, in Il
feeble voice; I'm not sick, don't
think; some tired though; I'm resting"
Horseshoe sat down on an empty up
turned blastin@-powder can.
Have you seen my boy in this coun-
tryP" suddenly asked the old man.
Cant say that l have met him to-
day" replied Horseshoe.
Then you know him. do you?"
cried the old man, as he partly rose.
Cant says I'm so remark bly, init
mate with him; no, don't know your
boy. old man. There are several boys
in the Hills
Yes, that's so," said the old man,
as he sank back and covered his eyes
with his hands; that's what they all
say-so many people"
whats your name?" continued the
old man, after pause.
'.My name" returned Horseshoe, as
he met the old mans gaze with an
open, straightforward look, lis Jones. -
You live at Deadwood, I s'pose?"
Yes"
whats your business there?'
~ have" returned Mr.. Jones with
child-like righteousness, "a large sup
ply-store there
care you prospecting now?"
Eyes, sir, replied Jones, with All
| f,.o L. HIT I'll 70
see. 81 am looking around little. 1
have several valuable mines in the
Hills and am hunting for more. 1t
will be impossible" continued the can
did Jones. with a beautiful desire not
to conceal any thing. ''for me to re-
main away from my extensive L<lsiness
in Deadwood long enough to discover
more than three or four mines, but
think they can get along without me
till find that many"
80, indeed" replied the old man,
would you mind handing me drink
! of waterP"
The gentleman with the extensive
business relations at Deadwood COM
| piled, and then, at the old mans invi-
tation, found himself something to eat
among the scanty stock of provisions
which the place afforded.
1t did not take Horseshoe long to see
that the old man was very sick. He
fell into troubled sleep, from which
he did not awake till evening. Horse
shoe had built Il fire before the door.
which threw strangely-shaped shadows
into the cabin. AS he awoke he stared
wildly at Horseshoe and said:
Have yon seen any thing of Joe?''
who's Joe?''
my boy-but you said you didn't
know him, didn'tyou?"
II don't know" replied Horseshoe.
feeling less facetious than in the after
noon. Il might. He's out here, is
hep"
Yes, he came out after gold. He's
a good boy, Joe is; it will kill me if I
don't find him. There, that's all right;
! I'll find him. I've most found him
now" The old mans mind was
neutrality-suspicious. by sickness or
perhaps old age. IN find Joe.
call him my boy because [ used to.
But he is bigger than 1 am-he's a
man now. He went away after gold,
and l have come after him. l couldn' t
| live without him. He don't know i
am coming-It'n be a surprise to him.
came up from Sioux City and across
the reservation with a big wagon-train,
but they said it was nearer across this
way. so 1 left the trail early one morn
ing with the colt and few things and
came this way, but 1 guess I'm lost
now. found this house. and after
get rested I'm going on to find Joe. Is
the colt all right, Mr.. Jones?"
Horseshoe smiled as he thought OF
the gray and rheumatic old mare out
side and assured the old man that she